His Dark Obsession

As the cold breeze blew through the coffee shop, people crowded the chairs, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.

Laughter, mumbles, and some country music filled the store, bringing in a cozy atmosphere as we bid summer farewell and welcomed fall.

Carefully holding the tray of steaming espressos, Amira moved it to the appropriate location on the table. Her gaze kept returning to the enormous wall clock, which was nearly at her closing time.

Her petite oval face broke into a wide smile that showed off the dimple on her left cheek. Upon observing this, her friend Greta winked at her.

"Happy birthday." Amira smiled back in appreciation as Greta gently reminded her repeatedly.

Her 18th birthday was today, and this was the start of her journey to freedom.

Freedom to move away from her family and begin a new life, not to mention the fact that she was awarded a scholarship to study at Yale University, one of the top universities in the world.

But she had not told her parents because she knew they did not want the best for her and would beat her up if she said anything about continuing her education.

"Let high school be the final phase of your education." Her father would say this while punching her, but this time she intends to keep it a secret until she finds a new place to live.

But something else surprised her: her stepsister Claudia had texted her that a party was being planned for her while she awaited her arrival, which was strange. This got Amira very excited.

"Today is the best day of my life, Greta. Not only did I receive a scholarship from my dream school, but my parents also hosted a party for me; is not that surprising?" Amira chuckled as she removed her apron and wiped the sweat from her forehead, despite the slight chill.

"I am surprised as well; your parents never throw you a birthday party or give you a present. Perhaps it is because you have reached adulthood and they simply wanted to do something for you." Greta responded.

Amira pursed her lips, thinking back to the last time her parents had done her a favor rather than having her do it herself.

And they would been doing nice things for Claudia. Since Amira's mother left, her father has changed, bringing in a woman who already had a grown child, which is now her family's hatred for her mere existence.

Going to the changing room, Amira changed out of her uniform into her own clothes and said goodbye to Jane, figuring that would give her an idea of what to expect.

"I am coming, I will see you at your party!" Jane yelled as she ran to her destination, leaving Amira on her own to find her way home.

Her phone beeped, and she read the new messages sent by Claudia.

"Mom and dad threw your party at A.M Avenue on Clifford Street; lots of guests are waiting; bring your stupid legs here, loser."

Amira took a deep breath and shoved the phone into her bags, debating whether she should go for a walk or take the bus for a few pennies.

She had felt followed or watched while walking home for the past few weeks, but she assumed it was all in her head at the end of the day. She made up her mind and boarded a bus down Clifford Street, where the avenue was.

She wondered why her parents would throw a party for her in a strange mansion rather than her home; was it a grand party? What motivated them to do that?

Many questions raced through her mind as she quickened her pace and saw lights through the mansion. Despite her father's average wealth, they had never hosted a party at an event center for Claudia before, so why hers?

To avoid spoiling the fun, she noticed Claudia standing outside with a phone in her hands, her face drenched in tears, her lips twisted in anger, and throwing daggers at Amira as she approached.

"Why are we having my party here, Claudia? What's going on?" Amira inquired while trying to contain her happiness because they were never that close and it did not matter if Claudia was crying.

"Shut up and follow me, dad has arranged for some people to do your makeup and dress; are you not happy that a grand party is being planned for you? Why can't mine be any better."

Amira rolled her eyes, ignoring Claudia's laments, her eyes welling up with tears of joy as her family finally gave her the birthday party she had always wanted, more of a send-off party, but why was it so grand? She was neither a princess nor an influential figure.

They arrived at a room where ladies in uniform greeted her with a smile, which bothered Amira, but her curiosity wanted to know what else was planned for her surprise party.

"Happy birthday, Miss Amira." The ladies wished together, making Amira's cheeks flush red. At this point, she felt special.

They led her to the dressing room, where she was dressed in a stunning black gown that exuded wealth. She was surprised by what she was wearing, but she patiently waited while they did her hair and makeup.

Amira became fascinated by herself and how different she appeared. She could not contain her excitement; her ideal birthday party was becoming a reality. Had her manifestations come to life?

Soon Susan stormed in with an irritating expression on her face, and the lady who complimented Amira's appearance after the job was completed bowed in respect, giving a cutesy look.

As soon as she laid eyes on Amira, her facial lines and disgusting emotions faded into a cold, weak smile that terrified Amira.

Her stepmother had never smiled at her before, except when she was punishing her, so why now?

"Happy birthday, Amira. I know you have a lot of questions, but they will be answered by your father." She paused and extended her hand, gesturing for Amira to take it, which she did at first.

"Everyone's waiting for the birthday girl." Susan spoke in her most faked voice, her cheeks tired from her forced smile.

Amira hesitated before taking her hands, her own hand shaking in Susan's as she led her to a dark room, and when they arrived, it was eerily silent, creeping her out. Soon, a spotlight shone on her father, who approached Amelia with a big smile she had not seen in years.

"Amy, you are here." Her father, Joe, smiled as he hugged her tightly. Amira's eyes welled up with tears; her father had not addressed her as 'Amy' since her mother had left, and it felt good to hear it from him.

Was her mother back? Was he repentant of his sins? Was he drunk or high?

Whatever it was, Amira wished it stayed that way.

"Happy birthday, my girl; you have grown into a beautiful woman. I know you are surprised by what is happened so quickly, but know that this is the best thing that could ever happen to you. I thought about it and decided to throw you a party." Joe stretched out his hands to take hers, and as she accepted his grip, he added, "I have a very big surprise for you."

This successfully piqued Amira's interest; what was the big surprise? Her cheeks hurt from smiling too much, and her eyes were filled with tears from her father's sudden sweet words.

The spotlight was still on them, and everything around them was pitch black, as Amira looked at her father, whose once bright mood had changed to his usual serious mood, leading her to wherever he was.

After reaching the supposed end point to show her the surprise, he said, "Here it comes." Then he clapped twice, and she heard a chorus of people clapping in the darkness, wishing her a happy birthday.

Gradually, the lights returned, the spotlight vanished, and she found herself on the alter with a priest in front of her, an unfamiliar person with a black nose mask behind her, and her guests applauding her in the exquisitely ornate hall.

"It is more than just your birthday, honey; it is your wedding day, the best gift from us, your parents. Do this for your family, don't let us down." Her father spoke in a serious tone; she had never heard him speak before.

Amira stood frozen in place, unable to speak. Her body shook with fear, anger, and betrayal; her ears felt like they had rung a bell, and everything around her seemed to be spinning.

"We...wedding?" She stuttered, her hands on her chest, looking at the people in the beautiful hall, how they expected her response; she wanted to cry, but her eyes did not well up; this was the biggest twist of her life.

The groom, who she had recognized as Andrea despite the nose mask, took a paper from a waiter, opened it in front of her, and shoved it straight in her face without giving a vocal reply.

"Your father signed it, so there is no going back now. You are mine, Amira, and there will be no exceptions." Andrea smirked proudly as he responded in his deep husky voice.

Amira laughed at his reply, feeling embarrassed-her family had already made her feel bad, but this was the worst-a slap in the face. She was still a young girl with big dreams and a bright future ahead of her; she hoped to graduate from university with a degree, but not in this way.

As she skimmed the paper, it dawned on her that her father not only sold her for money and status, but also married her off. This implies that her father works for him.

"Dad, you sold me?" Amira whispered, tears welling in her eyes, and everyone sat silently, staring at the drama in front of them.

"It is the best thing I can do for you, Amira; be grateful and marry him, do it for your family, and stop being an ungrateful brat." He responded with a stone-cold expression, while her stepmother had a scun look on her face.

Without saying anything, Amira grabbed her dress and took off on her heels, running away from the aisle in desperation to avoid getting married, leaving everyone stunned.

"A runaway bride on the loose, huh?" Andrea mumbled, amused by Amira's escape, while everyone else waited for him to act, but he just stood there, watching.

Soon after, his bodyguards returned with her, but this time Andrea sensed something was not right-why was she calm after running off in that manner, and why was she so easily located?

Amira would always be stubborn, he knew that from the beginning, but was she really calm? In an instant, he removed his mask, exposing his bare face to the admiration of all.

Andrea knew something like this would happen, which is why he locked the mansion with his bodyguards to keep the paparazzi out and her from escaping.

"This is not my bride!" Andrea yelled as they approached him with his bride, who was now covering her face with a black veil. Furious, Andrea ripped off the veil.

Everyone was taken aback when they saw Claudia wearing Amira's dress and jewelry. Where was Amira and why was she so eager to take Amira's place?

Amira hid in a corner as guards searched for her. She looked at her dress, grateful that Claudia had agreed to take her place as Andrea's wife.

She was wearing Claudia's dress at the time, making it difficult to find her, so they ended up with Claudia. She removed her shoes as soon as she realized the path was clear and dashed toward the massive gate in front of her.

She felt a firm grip pull her in so tightly as she saw herself on the verge of running away with sweat streaming down her face.

"I found you, Miss Banks. Come on, everyone is waiting; don't irritate my boss, he hates disappointment."

Amira was instantly thrown onto this bodyguard's shoulder, and despite her struggles, shouting, and hitting, none of it had any effect on him.

After that, he left her in front of the hallway and turned her over to a different bodyguard.

"Give her to your boss." He muttered, staring intently into her eyes. Amira met his gaze, noting his good looks, but her thoughts were not focused on that.

"Please let me go, I don't want to marry him. My sister is ready to marry him; he should take her and leave me alone." Amira yelled as she was led to the alter, where Andrea patiently stood with an emotionless expression this time.

His emotions were difficult to read, but even in his most serious expression, his appearance drew people in.

"Just say yes, and your life will be bittersweet as long as you are with me. There is no way out this time."

Amira released a tired sigh, knowing she couldn't escape this one.

After Andrea signaled to the priest that everything was being taken care of, the ceremony continued with a contract placed in front of her to sign rather than her having to repeat the vows.

"Once you sign this, you become Mrs. Martini officially." In a whisper, the priest spoke to both of them. Amira read the contract, which made Andrea impatient with her numbness, but she had to wait.For him, training a grown dog takes a lot of patience, and Amira was that dog.

Amira's eyes welled up with tears as she realized this was a bond contract that no divorce could cancel, and she would be bound to this man for the rest of her life.

"If you don't sign this contract, your family will be terminated and your scholarship will be worthless." Andrea's whisper sent shivers down her spine.

How did he learn about her scholarship? Her parents thought he was just threatening her, but most of the guests were surprisingly composed when several armed men entered the hall, locked the big door leading to the exit, and came right up to them.

Who was this man? Who exactly is Andrea Martini? And why didn't he pick Claudia, her older stepsister, instead of her?

"I'll sign and leave them out of this; my scholarship is none of your business." Amira yelled in submission, stretching her shaking hands towards the paper and signing whatever she was required to sign.

"You can now kiss the bride."

Amira felt tense, more like shocked. The wedding was forced; there were no vows recited or rings exchanged, just like in a typical white wedding. She was not even asked if she would marry him.

Andrea took out a small golden box from his pocket, made of pure gold, brought out the rings from it, took a tiny knife and pierced his finger, dripping blood on the rings, and held her index finger and pierced hers as well, ignoring the scream that came out of her mouth, and let her blood drip on the ring.

Following this little ritual, he slid the ring onto Amira's ring finger and forced her to wear his.

As Amira attempted to release her hold on Andrea, he said, quickly drawing her face in his direction and planting a passionate kiss.

He also refused to let her leave after the wedding, and they went straight to the car that parked in front of the mansion while he was still handcuffed.

"Can't I say goodbye to my family?" Amira erupted in anger, her makeup ruined and tears streaking her cheeks, giving her the appearance of a scaredy bride.

"You and I are aware that your family had nothing to do with you. They are not your family anymore. Amira, I am your new family, and you are not seeing them. Get in the car!"

Amira felt a sharp pang in her chest, knowing what he had said was correct. Even at that moment, none of her family members were present to say goodbye. She felt abandoned, alone, and broken; in the end, they had been successful in shattering her.

She just wanted to see their faces before leaving. Taking a deep breath, Amira got into the car and stared out the window, hoping to catch a last glimpse of her loved ones, even her own father.

However, as expected, none of them revealed their faces.

"Let's go." Andrea mumbled to his driver as they drove away from the mansion, but Amira's gaze remained fixed on the mansion until it faded out of sight, at which point she noticed they were surrounded by other cars for protection.

"How wealthy is this man?" Amira wondered, feeling his full attention on her, but she refused to give him a second glance, and her hands remained bound in his.

Gazing at her fingers, she noticed that the diamond ring was caked in dried blood. She was now a married woman, having married at age 18.

Andrea observed her closely, noting her calm demeanor while staring out the window, which was a little concerning. Why was she so calm? Did she accept her fate?

He let out a sigh and shifted his gaze to his phone, scrolling endlessly.

Amira relaxed because the silence was all she needed to calm down and keep her mind at ease, and she made plans to flee. She couldn't stay in this marriage; it was too quick and unexpected for her, and the worst part was that she had never loved the man.

She was lost in her thoughts for so long that she was unaware of the time they reached their destination. They had already arrived in front of a second, enormous mansion decorated with gold, silver, and precious stone work.

The bodyguard opened the door and motioned for her to come out, but she shot him a furious glance, turned to face Andrea, and then to her linked hand.

Andrea, on the other hand, came down the other side, pulling her along with him indirectly. Amira hissed in pain as the handcuff tightened around her arm.

She was too tired to speak or fight, but she had to pretend she had given in to him.

"Welcome back, boss and Madam Martini." A middle-aged, petite woman in uniform spoke, giving a small respectful bow to which none of them responded.

Amira attempted to ignore the mansion's allure, which included the water fountains, gardens, and gazebos that welcomed guests, as well as the luxurious cars that were parked one after the other and partially exposed their reflections on the marble floor.

She wanted this life, but not in this way. She felt Andrea pull her closer to him as he walked faster, causing her to yelp in pain.

"Do not force me to pull you closer to me." Andrea said grumpily, which irritated Amira more.

"Could you have at least uncuffed me first? I am not a criminal." Amira said, but received no response until they arrived at an elevator, which she had not expected.

It was uncomfortably quiet in there until Atlas found himself in a massive bedroom with beautiful decorations. The bed was covered in rose petals, and their scent filled the room, which scared Amira.

She was not prepared for whatever happened on the wedding night, based on what she would heard about married couples doing on their first night.

"This is our room, so get used to it." He muttered before taking a key from his pocket and uncuffing them. Amira rubbed her wrist, feeling a gentle ache.

Then she returned her gaze to Andrea, then to the bed, and finally to Andrea. She shook her head in disagreement, saying, "I can't stay here with you; please give me my own room."

In response, he took out his phone and requested assistance. Almost immediately, the door opened, revealing the maid she had seen before.

"Yes, boss. May I assist you?"

"Take my wife to her own room, show her around, and make sure she likes it."

The maid bowed in response and took Amira, seeing this as an opportunity to further her plans. Amira followed her behind, inspecting everything as she passed by, admiring its opulence while trying not to get carried away.

She smiled kindly and stood quietly, watching the maid as she continued to walk around with no idea what to do. Suddenly, an idea came to her.

She walked back, seeing this as a perfect opportunity, recalling the halls she had taken to get here.

It was not as easy as she had hoped, and when she saw the elevator, her tired frown turned into a relief smile.

Without looking around, she entered the elevator and descended to the ground floor. And she dashed off to wherever she thought she could escape, despite the fact that the area was heavily guarded.

The maid came to a halt at the entrance door to Amira's new room, but noticed the unusual quietness and turned to see that Amira was not present.

"Madam? Madam?" She called, tense and sweating profusely. And she dashed straight to Andrea's room, knocking on the door.

"Come in." She entered, falling to the floor in tears, after hearing his calm, deep voice.

"Boss, I can't find Madam. I was with her and then I could not find her."

The maid stayed on the floor, waiting patiently to see what would happen to her, but surprisingly, nothing happened as she had expected. Andrea, on the other hand, wore a smirk and did not react to this.

"You may go." He scoffed, noting how dramatic she was, and she bolted out of the room. Andrea could not help but enjoy it all; Amira was giving him more reasons to prove she was his.

Reaching for his phone, he dialled the head bodyguard.

"Rico, keep an eye on my wife and make sure she does not pass through the gate. I have an exciting game to play tonight." He hung up the phone without waiting for his response, smiling wickedly.